Dolmen de Matarrubilla

Dolmen de Matarrubilla is an impressive megalithic tomb located in the province of Seville in southern Spain. It is one of the largest dolmens in Europe, with an impressive architectural structure that has attracted scholars and tourists from all over the world.

The dolmen dates back to the Copper Age, around 3000 BC, and was used as a communal burial site for the people who lived in the area during that time. The site is surrounded by a large circular mound, with a rectangular chamber in the center made up of several massive stones.

The chamber consists of eight upright stones, each weighing several tons, with smaller stones placed in between to fill in the gaps. The roof of the chamber is made up of several massive capstones, with the largest weighing more than four tons.

The dolmen is believed to have been used for religious and ritual purposes, as well as for communal burial. The presence of several smaller tombs and burial mounds in the surrounding area suggests that the site was an important ritual and religious center for the people who lived in the region during the Copper Age.

The Dolmen de Matarrubilla is significant not only for its size and architecture but also for the intricate carvings and engravings found on the stones. The upright stones are adorned with several symbols and motifs, including spirals, zigzags, and abstract designs, which are thought to represent the sun, moon, and other celestial bodies.

The dolmen is also believed to have been aligned with the sun, with the entrance facing east to capture the rays of the rising sun during certain times of the year. This alignment may have been significant for the people who used the site, as it would have been a way of marking the changing of the seasons and the cycles of nature.

Today, the Dolmen de Matarrubilla is a popular tourist attraction and is recognized as an important cultural and historical landmark in Spain. Visitors can explore the dolmen and the surrounding area, which includes several other prehistoric sites of interest.

The site is also part of a larger network of megalithic tombs and burial mounds found throughout the Iberian Peninsula, which provides valuable insight into the lives and beliefs of the people who lived in the region during the Copper Age.

The Dolmen de Matarrubilla has been the subject of several archaeological studies and research projects, which have shed light on its history and significance. These studies have helped to deepen our understanding of the people who lived in the area during the Copper Age and the ways in which they constructed and used their sacred and ritual spaces.